Re: Air tanks

I had not thought about an explosion inside the tank but is apparently possible.

Re: Air tanks

Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:02 pm

Looks to be the same as the earlier photos and not related to any repair work on the tank. I was near a tanker truck when two of the four 2000 gallon compartments exploded. Several safety procedure violations by the driver while emptying the truck. The two empty compartments exploded and the two full ones burned. Delivering toluene to an industrial plant. Now I do not go into a gas station if a tanker is there.

Re: Air tanks

Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:10 am

Not a good idea to buy fuel while the tanker is off loading anyway. I would want to wait till the underground tanks had time to settle out. Some years ago a fuel tanker caught fire and burned about 2 miles from the house on the same street we live on. I saw the smoke plume 15 or 20 miles out on the way home.

Re: Air tanks

Wed Oct 19, 2011 4:49 pm

Thinking more about tank explosion blamed on oil fumes. Even Diesel fuel has a flash point of about 150 deg F, heavier oils are higher. So the tank in general would have to be quite warm, too hot to touch for more than a second, for sufficient fumes for an explosion. Gasoline has flash point of about -40 deg or lower. Incidentally, HyTran would be good oil for most ordinary piston air compressors.

Re: Air tanks

Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:42 pm

I still wouldn't repair a pressure vessel if given a chance. Just think if your child or grandchild was near the tank and it ruptured. Even if it didn't blow up like the in the pictures, all the dirt that it would blow up could blind someone, and you know it's going to rupture on the bottom of the tank which could launch the tank into the air and hurt someone. To me, it's not worth it. That's why I bought a new compressor when my tank developed rust caused, pin hole leaks. I too looked at a replacement tank but for $300 for a tank to mount my old compressor on didn't make sense. The price was too close to the cost of a new unit complete with compressor and I have my old compressor and motor as a spare if I need it.